8 Essentials For Building a Home Gym For Under $100
When the pandemic hit and gyms, spin and barre classes, pools and boot camps closed up, many Americans’ interest in fitness turned inward, to their spare rooms, basements and garages. Home gyms boomed during the pandemic and continue to be an inspiring, safe haven for those looking for the freedom to work out with purpose in privacy, while saving money on gym memberships.
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Investing in cardiovascular fitness and strength equipment is not for the weak of wallet. While some people spend thousands to outfit their homes with the latest and greatest gear, you don’t have to. Fitness is all about what you put in, not what you spend.
If your goal is to spend to impress workout buddies and onlookers at the gym, then more power to you. However, at home, you can set up a gym for under $100 (MyNetDiary suggests you need these four items only). Depending on your exercise preferences and workout goals, here are eight affordable essentials for your home gym.
Also If you are set on going to a gym, here are the 10 best cheap gyms.
Floor Mat
If you do yoga, stretching, floor-based exercise and ab work, then a yoga mat is definitely a great piece of kit to have in your home gym. Not only are they extremely versatile and useful, but they take up little space in your workout room. This must-have is also cheap. You could spend up to $100 on a fitness or yoga mat, but why bother when you can spend as little as $2.53 for a 15 mm thick, durable, anti-skid yoga mat at Walmart.
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Chin-Up Bar
Have a door frame in your house? Good. Many fitness enthusiasts swear by the chin-up bar, which are affordable and easy to install to any standard door frame. Want proof? This CAP doorway bar is as cheap as they come ($11.89), adjusts from 24.75 to 36.5-inches and has a maximum weight recommendation of 220 pounds. Although you can make your own with strong hooks and PVC piping from Home Depot, if you don’t want to spend a dime, play parks have become popular for intimate fitness groups and always have sturdy sets of bars to use.
Jump Rope
Another piece of equipment that can give you a total workout and costs next to nothing is the simple skipping rope. You can get these pretty much anywhere, but you can’t go wrong with this adjustable PVC XYLsports jump rope for $7.99 at Amazon. Additionally, consumers looking for value for their shrinking dollar will be surprised at the quality and brand name ropes available at off-price department stores like TJ Maxx, Marshall’s and HomeGoods.
Kettlebells
Kettlebells are a great example of exercise equipment that can be found readily at second-hand or thrift stores like Goodwill, Plato’s Closet and Savers or Value Village. However, if you’re buying new, you can get great deals by checking out the box stores in your area or going to a specialist like USA-Iron.com, who offer 20-50-pound bells from $34.50 to $59.50.
Adjustable Dumbbells
If you want to build strength, universal home gym equipment will set you back a couple thousand dollars. Walmart has 100-pound barbell and iron weight sets for right around $100, but most sets run at least double that. Instead, versatile Feierdun adjustable dumbbells from Amazon is a great starter set and costs only $89.99 and with a $10 coupon, you’ll only be shelling out $79.99.
TRX Kit
Total Resistance Exercises or TRX, refers to training with resistance equipment developed by former Navy SEAL Randy Hetrick and are popular for those looking for a core or total body workout without using clunky weights. You certainly won’t get a TRX all-in-one system for under $100, but there are many used kits available for around $60 on Amazon. Also, don’t forget to scour eBay for deals on TRXs and all gym equipment.
Resistance Bands
You don’t need a TRX system to do a resistance workout. Resistance bands are great for building strength without putting the same sort of pressure on your joints that weights do. As Coach Sofia said, stay away from rubber bands that “roll and lose their elasticity very quickly. Great for targeting smaller muscle groups, they are light and portable — perfect for a home gym. And they’re cheap! Off-price stores are rife with 3-level band sets (and stability balls, which start around $16). And fitness specialists like Dick’s Sporting Goods have a wide range of lengths and styles that start as low as $14.98.
Running Shoes
When the pandemic hit and gyms, spin and barre classes, pools and boot camps closed up, running became the perfect exercise. Cabin fever drove people outside and many found that’s all they needed to release stress and get in shape. Top-end shoes will cost you a couple of hundred, but as Runner’s World points out, many reputable brands like Adidas, Brooks, Asics, Saucony have comfortable options for the beginner and veteran alike.
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